Metaphysics and Magic
by Gilari
Summary: When a madman with a blue box blows up their library, Jenna and Elizabeth agree to help him get his black book back. But dragons? That was NOT what they signed up for. First in the Birthday Series.
1. Chapter 1

**For Jenny, for her birthday. **

The library was quiet. Elizabeth leaned her head on her hands and looked around at the empty shelves.

"Is it always this boring?"

"Yes," said Jenna, without looking up. She had been working at the library longer than Elizabeth, and was used to the monotony that went with a night shift.

"I mean seriously," commented Elizabeth, "do they really need two of us to babysit an empty library till eleven at night? Nobody's even here."

"It's for safety," Jenna said, finally looking up from her game of solitaire. "Anyone could just walk in here. They want us in pairs."

"What could happen in a library? Somebody gets a paper cut?" Elizabeth complained. She moved away from the front desk to sit beside Jenna near the reserved books shelf.

Jenna shrugged, smiling.

"At least we can talk to each other while we're here."

"True," agreed Elizabeth.

"And they _are_ paying us. I mean, this _is_ what you signed up for when you got hired here, wasn't it?" Jenna said. "We should start closing up soon, anyways."

Elizabeth gave a noncommittal shrug, and picked up a book at random from a cart.

"_The Natural Habitats of the African Swallow._ Fascinating," she drawled. Despite the book's boring premise, Elizabeth perched on one of the desks behind the circulation desk and began to read it. Jenna went back to her solitaire game.

Silence reigned. The only sound was the buzzing of computers and the rustle of pages as Elizabeth skimmed through her book.

A strange metallic grinding sound cut through the still air.

Jenna glanced up from her computer screen.

"What was that?"

"Dorm kids?" suggested Elizabeth. "Aren't they always doing…"

"Really dumb things?" Jenna finished.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Ah dorm life. Never doing _that_ again."

"I wonder if we should check it out," Jenna said, getting up from her chair. "We don't want them to damage the library building or anything."

But before she could leave the circulation desk, the door to the library opened, and a strange man walked inside. He looked too old to be a student, and was dressed very strangely. His casual Converse shoes didn't match his suit, and his brown coat fell almost to his ankles. His hair defied gravity with its height and angles, and his smile was huge.

"Hello there!" he said cheerfully.

"We're just about to close up," Elizabeth said.

The man nodded absently.

"Which one of you two lovely librarians is Jenna Arrington?"

Jenna raised her hand, a little uncertainly.

"That would be me. Can I help you with something?"

The man strode up to the desk, and shoved a crinkled and stained stack of papers onto it.

"I want to talk to you about this."

Jenna picked it up and read the title.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked, peeking over her friend's shoulder.

"It's my essay for Metaphysics class," Jenna said, confused. "But how did it get so stained? And how did you get hold of it?"

"I love it," the man said with a wide grin that seemed to light up the entire room. "It's brilliant. You've got a first rate mind, Jenna Arrington. But I have to tell you, you don't know anything about time travel," he waved the paper around wildly. "Everything in here is theoretical. Don't get me wrong, it's brilliant stuff, way ahead of its time, but it's all wrong."

"Where did you get it?" Jenna asked, taking the paper from him and examining the creased sheets. "I only handed it in yesterday, and this paper looks about a hundred years old."

The man rubbed the back of his neck, looking rather sheepish.

"Old archive I was looking through. Anyways. Just popped by to tell you how much I enjoyed reading it. And that the theory's all wrong."

Both girls stared at him. Clearly he was mad.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth said slowly.

"Sorry, did I not say before? I get carried away, you know. Hard to stop. This mouth, always running on its own. I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor who?" asked Jenna.

"Just the Doctor," said the Doctor.

"You're the definitive article, then?" Elizabeth said.

The Doctor grinned again.

"Oh yes. Say, while I'm here, Jenna and…"

"Elizabeth," she filled in. "Elizabeth Montgomery."

"Elizabeth," the Doctor agreed. "While I'm here, could you help me find something? I left it here before."

"We're closing up," Elizabeth said.

The Doctor's smile was disarming now.

"Please? It will only take a few minutes."

"Ok," Elizabeth said, powerless against this mysterious man's charms. "What are you looking for? Maybe it's in the catalogue."

The Doctor frowned.

"I don't think it's in the catalogue. I left it in the stacks a while ago for safe keeping but now I think it would be a good idea to go look for it."

Elizabeth nodded, and started to lead him towards the stairs to the basement. The Doctor obediently followed until he passed a computer. There were eight or ten laid out on desks for students to use for research. He paused in midstride, and pulled himself up short. Frowning, he reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a pair of specs, which he jammed onto his nose, peering at the computers.

"What's wrong?" Jenna asked.

"I don't know," said the Doctor. "There's something off about these. Can't you hear the humming?"

Both girls strained their ears to hear a high pitched humming that the computer terminals were giving off.

"What is that?" asked Jenna.

"I don't know," said the Doctor, "but I'd stay away from them for the time being." Shoving his specs back into his pockets, he strode down the stairs to the basement stacks.

The two girls exchanged looks, and then both hurried after him.

The Doctor was already hunting the stacks by the time they got down the stairs.

"Has to be in here somewhere," he was muttering to himself. "I know I left it here."

"What do you mean, stay away from the computers?" Jenna asked. "There are computers everywhere in here."

But the Doctor wasn't listening. He was still searching through shelves of books.

"Liz, should we call security?" Jenna whispered.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Yeah," she whispered back. "This guy is crackers."

Jenna nodded, and slipped upstairs.

"Ah aha!" exclaimed the Doctor, making both girls jump. He held up a small book bound in black leather. "I knew I left it here!"

"That doesn't look like a library book," Elizabeth said, noting the lack of code on the spine.

"Well it wouldn't, would it?" the Doctor said matter of factly. "It's mine."

Elizabeth propped her hands onto her hips. She'd had enough.

"Look, whoever you are. You'd better get out of here. Security will be here any moment, and we're supposed to be closed…"

"Oh, I won't be any trouble," the Doctor said mildly. "I just wanted my book, and now that I have it…" He strolled past Elizabeth, towards the stairs to the main floor.

"But that's not a library book!" Elizabeth insisted.

"I know," the Doctor replied. "It's mine. I left it here 50 years ago. Or maybe it was last week. Not sure. Time gets a little confused for me… Listen, I just needed to find this book before someone else did. It's got pretty important stuff written in it, and now…"

They were upstairs now, Elizabeth practically jogging to keep up with the Doctor's long stride.

"Something's wrong with my cell phone," Jenna said from the circulation desk. "It won't send a call."

The Doctor paused.

"Oh, that could be very bad."

The door to the library opened again with a crash.

Elizabeth and Jenna looked up, hoping it was security. Instead, it was a middle aged man with a bald head and an earring in one ear.

"We're closed!" Jenna said rather desperately.

"You have something of mine, Doctor," the man said.

The Doctor shook his head.

"You mean something of mine. You're too late." He waved the black book he still held. "I've got it right here."

The bald man laughed, a sound like metal being scraped over metal. He whipped something out of his pocket, and pointed it at the Doctor.

"Freeze," he said.

Elizabeth found herself not able to move. She couldn't even blink. She was completely glued to the spot. The Doctor was frozen as well. He didn't move a muscle as the bald man walked forward and plucked the black book from his hand.

"And you thought you could keep this from me," he chuckled. "Aren't you the noble Doctor, keeping knowledge from people? Well, from now on you'll know better. Or you would, if you were to live much longer."

The bald man walked up to a compute and typed three keys. The buzzing sound increased, and black letters appeared on the computer's screen, counting down from twenty.

"Goodbye, Time Lord," he said, and walked out of the library.

As soon as he had left the building, the freezing began to wear off. It was like ice melting and cracking. One part at a time, Jenna began to gain control over the parts of her body.

The Doctor was much quicker at unthawing. He hesitated for a split second, torn between going after the bald man, and stopping the countdown. He looked at the two girls, still half frozen to the spot, and then turned his attention back to the computer. He pulled a long, thin thing out of his pocket, and buzzed the computer with it. Its tip glowed blue.

"He's fried the internal matrices!" the Doctor groaned. "I can't stop the countdown!"

15 second left.

14

13

The last of Jenna came unfrozen.

"Elizabeth! You ok?"

"Yeah," said Elizabeth. "Doctor, stop the countdown."

The Doctor shook his head.

"I can't! He must have been planning this from the beginning. I'm locked out of the system. Even the sonic screwdriver can't get in."

10

9

8

"What do we do?" shrieked Elizabeth.

"That's our cue. _RUN_!" the Doctor shouted.

Elizabeth and Jenna pelted out of the library as fast as they could. The Doctor, with his longer legs, easily overtook them. They followed him as he raced away from the building.

3

2

1

The library exploded in dazzling show of sparks. The Doctor tackled both girls, and then fell to the ground, covering their heads with their arms. They were far enough away so that debris didn't reach them, but the heat was scorching.

"The library!" wailed Jenna.

"We are _so_ getting fired for this," Elizabeth agreed.

The Doctor sat up, brushing ash from his brown pinstriped suit.

"We have to follow him."

"What happened?" Jenna demanded. "Why would anyone want to blow up my library?"

"Right questions, wrong time," said the Doctor, getting to his feet. He helped both girls up. "I'll explain sometime. I've got to go."

He took off.

Elizabeth glanced at Jenna, and then nodded.

"So we follow him?" she asked.

Jenna nodded.

"So glad we share this psychic connection," she said.

Both girls too off after the Doctor. They followed him around the burning library, to where a blue box stood unassumingly among the trees.

The Doctor turned to them.

"Didn't I say I'd explain later?"

"How bout you explain now," Jenna said. "You come in there, tell me my paper is all wrong, and then blow up my job!"

"That seems to be a habit of mine," the Doctor muttered to himself.

"So this has happened before?" Elizabeth asked.

The Doctor sighed.

"This is my life. I was meant to be hiding that book from him, and now he's got it, and I've got to stop him. There's no telling what he could do with that book." He glanced at the two sweaty and soot-stained girls, his head cocked to one side. "I have an idea. Why don't you two come with me?"

"Come with you where?" Elizabeth asked.

"Come with me to catch him. In my blue box. It's a time machine, you know."

"Time travel isn't possible," Jenna said. "There are too many paradoxes."

"Ah, that's where your paper was wrong," the Doctor said. "It _is_ possible, and I do it. Want to come?"

Jenna and Elizabeth exchanged looks.

"It's not like we have to go back to work," Elizabeth said.

Jenna nodded.

"And I want to catch the guy who blew up my library."

"Ok, we'll do it," agreed Elizabeth.

"Excellent!" said the Doctor, grinning widely. "Now, if you'll just follow me into my blue box…"

"We won't all fit!" objected Jenna, looking the narrow box up and down.

The Doctor grinned, and pushed the door open.

"Come and see for yourself."

Jenna and Elizabeth stepped into the blue box, their eyes as large as saucers.

The Doctor strode ahead of them, up a ramp and towards a round console with a large blue cylinder climbing out of it to the ceiling. He began to push buttons and leavers.

"Close the door after you," he said.

"Woooooow," Elizabeth drew the word out.

"This isn't possible," Jenna said. "I mean, it's absolutely not possible. How can something be bigger on the inside than the outside? It's not physically possible."

"Ah, but is it metaphysically possible?" the Doctor asked.

"Well," Jenna said, looking thoughtful. "It's not a logical impossibility…"

The Doctor grinned wider.

Jenna caught his look, and frowned.

"You're already starting to get on my nerves. Stop poking fun at my amateur philosophy!"

"No, really," the Doctor said, trying to hide his grin and failing. "You're doing well. It's just that… well, you're a little confined by human ideas."

"Well, we're all human, aren't we?" Jenna shot back.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Are we?"

"You aren't?" Jenna gaped.

"You heard him call me a Time Lord back there. That's not just a title, that's my species."

"You're… an alien?" Elizabeth gasped.

"How is that any stranger than time travel and dimensionally transcendental phone boxes?" the Doctor countered.

Elizabeth tipped her head sideways, her blond hair spilling over her shoulder. "True. Ok, so hold on a second. What happened back there?"

"Somebody blew up your library."

"Yes, thank you for that," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes at the Doctor's sarcasm.

"He blew up the library to get rid of me. But I'm not that easy to get rid of," the Doctor said. "He wanted the book that I hid in your library 50 years ago. Or last week, if you're me. And now he's got it, and that means bad things for this little planet. The TARDIS is tracking him as we speak.

"TARDIS?"

"Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. I call her TARDIS for short." He patted the console affectionately.

Jenna held up her hand.

"One thing at a time, please. This box, this… TARDIS, it's _bigger on the inside_. Can we all have a cup of tea and deal with this please?"

The Doctor winced.

"No time, sorry."

The TARDIS console gave a beep.

"Ah hah! The old girl has got a location. You're both coming with me?"

"This is too fantastic to leave," Elizabeth said.

Jenna nodded her agreement.

"Good," said the Doctor. He flipped a few more switches, and the TARDIS began to shake and rumble. "Jenna, Lizabeth, you'd better hang on to something!"


	2. Chapter 2

When the rumbling and shaking finally stopped, the Doctor leaped up.

"Right, first thing's first. Find out where we are," he glanced at the monitor. "Ah. I see. Twelfth century France. Strange place to run, don't you think? I wonder why he came here?"

"Who was he? And what was in that book that he wanted it so much?" Elizabeth asked, steadying herself against a railing.

"Two very excellent question, Lizabeth. To which I have two answers. First: he's not human either. He's an alien from the planet Marchamp. He's using that human body as a disguise. Second: that book was an alchemist's diary. Inside he wrote all his inventions and incantations."

"Are we talking philosopher's stone, eternal life stuff here?" Jenna asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"Among other things, yes. There's no telling what the Marchampian will do with it."

"That book was in the library all along," Elizabeth lamented. "I wish I could have read it."

"Bookworm, are we?" the Doctor asked. "I love bookworms. Some of my best friends are bookworms. Of course some of them are also actual worms. That live off fibrous root tips. Sentient worms from the planet Jabium… where were we?"

"Evil Marchampian with a black book," Elizabeth supplied helpfully.

"Right. Sorry. Get off topic sometimes."

"He's a little hyperactive, isn't he?" Elizabeth said to Jenna.

Jenna grinned.

"I like it. He'll always keep us on our toes."

"I can hear you, you know," The Doctor pointed out. "We should head into the village and ask around. What say we discuss your paper on the way, Jenna?"

Jenna blinked.

"After everything that's just happened, I'm not really in the mood for metaphysics."

"One should always be ready for metaphysics," the Doctor said sagely. "These things sneak up on you, you know. You've got to be ready when metaphysics pounces."

"You make it sound like a wild animal," Jenna laughed.

"Well, from my nonlinear nonsubjective viewpoint, it sort of is."

Jenna shook her head, and could almost hear the thoughts rattling around in it.

"This is just a lot to take in."

The Doctor grinned.

"You humans. Bless your resiliency. I take you eight hundred years into the past, and you're doing just fine."

"This is way more interesting than what I was planning to do tonight," replied Jenna.

"This is why I love you humans so much. You can learn all their ways in a week and after a hundred years they still surprise you with their courage and ability to adapt."

Elizabeth looked the Doctor up and down.

"I know you said you're an alien," she said. "But you don't really look like one."

"How do you know what aliens look like?" the Doctor countered. "You live in the 21st century. You've never seen one. And the ones in your movies… don't even get me started."

"So are you different on the inside?" Jenna asked, with a smile.

The Doctor grinned.

"Now you're getting it. For one thing, I've got two hearts." Picking up one hand from each of the girls, he pulled them to his chest. "Feel it?"

Both girls nodded.

The Doctor crossed their hands over his chest so that they were feeling the opposite side now.

Two heartbeats, one on each side of his chest. Two hearts.

"See?"

"Wow," Elizabeth said. "That's so…"

"Gross. You're a freak show, you know that?" Jenna finished.

The Doctor laughed, and dropped both their hands.

"Yeah. I know. Right then, let's go chase down a book stealer."

Outside the TARDIS, an empty field spread in every direction. The Doctor stuck his tongue out, as if tasting the air.

"Do I want to know what you're doing?" Jenna asked.

"The village is that way," the Doctor said, pointing.

"How do you know?"

"The air tastes like people that way."

"You've tasted people before?" Elizabeth asked, closing the TARDIS door behind her.

The Doctor pulled a regular looking metal key out of his pocket, and pressed it. the TARDIS made a little beeping sound, and the doors locked.

"I'm not dignifying that with an answer," he said, setting off in the direction he had indicated.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Jenna said softly. "And should we be afraid?"

Elizabeth was silent for a long moment.

"What are we doing, Jen?" she said finally. "We're following some madman in a coat to who knows where eight hundred years ago."

"Let's just go with it," Jenna said. "What would we be doing in normal life? Go home, go to bed, get up, lather, rinse, repeat. I'm thinking adventure."

"What if something happens, though?" Elizabeth asked. "I have a feeling life with the Doctor isn't going to be safe by any stretch of the imagination."

"I don't think it would mean as much if it were safe," Jenna answered.

Elizabeth considered this.

"I think you're right. Yeah, you're right. Let's just go with this."

The two girls grinned at each other.

"Coming?" the Doctor called from up ahead.

Both girls took off at a run to catch up with him.

The village turned out to be not too far from where they had parked the TARDIS. In twenty or so minutes, they rounded a hill to find a small collection of houses and stores spread at their feet.

"Cute," Elizabeth said.

The Doctor made a face.

"Don't eat or drink anything till I tell you it's safe. They're not big on hygiene just yet."

"Can I just take this moment to say _ew_," replied Jenna.

"Hey, I have a question," Elizabeth said. "You said we're in France. I know a little French, but I bet medieval French is pretty different."

"Actually, the French are pretty good at keeping their language static," the Doctor replied. "Not since the 12th century, of course, but since about the 18th."

"And that helps us how?"

"I suppose it doesn't," said the Doctor. "Anyways. Don't worry about speaking the language. The TARDIS will translate what they say for you. One of the many perks of travelling with me. The TARDIS psychically connects to you and translates."

Elizabeth thought about this for a moment.

"I've got a time ship in my head?"

"Something like that," replied the Doctor. "Now listen, you two. I'm going to tell you something I tell all my companions, and they rarely listen to me, but I've got high hopes that this time it'll work. Don't wander off. Got that?"

They were nearing the outskirts of the village now. a sweaty blacksmith watched them go past before returning to striking his anvil.

"Alright, so we're looking for our Marchampian. I doubt he's changed forms, since it takes a lot of energy to do, and his would have been depleted from the jump here."

"Fat, bald, leery. Got it," said Jenna.

The Doctor whipped out the slender tube with the blue end that he had used to scan the computers with in the library.

"If he's using the book he'll probably be giving off some sort of signal. If I could just…" the Doctor swept the area with it. "My sonic screwdriver picks up these sorts of things."

"That's a screwdriver?" asked Jenna skeptically.

The Doctor looked down at it.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked, defensively.

"Nothing. It's just… not very screwdriver-y."

"It's a screwdriver, ok? I do things with it. Sometimes I even screw in screws," the Doctor stroked one finger along its side. "I love this screwdriver."

"Do you two want to be alone?" Elizabeth asked, swallowing a giggle.

The Doctor snapped out of his fond reverie.

"Very funny. Now if you two are finished blogging, we can find our alien."

The market square was crowded with people going about their business. Elizabeth and Jenna looked around with wide eyes as the medieval town bustled around them. Venders called out their wares and people milled around, shopping and gossiping together. From the nearby cathedral, a bell rang.

The Doctor was still following his screwdriver. He strode confidently forward, with his two new companions trailing behind, their eyes on the world around them.

"Hello there. Have you seen a baldish man with an earring, maybe carrying a black book?" the Doctor asked a vender. The vender's cheerful smile vanished.

"I don't know anything about that, sir," he said, turning back to fuss with his wares. "I don't want any trouble with the Wizard."

"Bald man with an earring. I'm looking for him."

"The Wizard doesn't like to be spoken about," replied the woman, turning away quickly, her hand clutching her basket so hard the knuckles were turning white.

"That's weird," Elizabeth said, coming to stand beside the Doctor. "Everyone we asked clammed up, too."

"It's like they're afraid of something," Jenna agreed.

"Yes, but what?" the Doctor said. "And who's this wizard who keeps getting mentioned. I'm thinking it's not the Great and Terrible Oz."

"I don't know. From how scared these people are, he might be great and terrible. Or at least terrible," Jenna replied.

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply, but was prevented by a man crashing into him. Without a word, the man pushed past the Doctor, and continued to run.

"I've seen it!" he shrieked. "I've seen it! The dragon! The dragon has come again!"

The villagers exchanged nervous glances, and continued on their way, parting to make way for the man as he skittered out of the main square.

The Doctor glanced at his companions, and then took off running. This time the girls were ready for it. They took off after him, following the brown coat as it disappeared around corners. The village disappeared behind them as they ran out into the open fields. Neither the Doctor nor the man he was chasing were anywhere to be seen.

"Oh great. We lost them," grumbled Elizabeth, panting.

Jenna shook her head.

"If we're going to do any more of this running, I'd better get in shape," said Jenna, running a hand through her honey brown hair.

"I wonder who that guy was. And was it just me, or did he say 'dragon'?" Elizabeth said.

"Mayhap you ladies are speaking of poor Fracois," said a voice from behind them.

Both girls spun around. They had thought they were alone.

The young farmer leaned on his hoe, and considered them with frank hazel eyes.

"I saw him run that way," he pointed. "With a man after him. Poor Francois. He has been affected by the light beams from the heavens."

"Light is a particle," Jenna said.

"Or a wave," Elizabeth agreed.

"Point is, I don't think that's what's wrong with Francois," finished Jenna.

"He is sun-touched," the farmer insisted. "He lives by himself too far from the village limits. Near the forest. Strange things happen in the forest."

"Strange like… a bald man with a black book appearing out of nowhere?" Elizabeth asked.

The Farmer was spared from answering that by the Doctor, who ran beside him.

"I lost him. What did I tell you two about running off?" he said, looking pointedly at his companions.

"Don't?" supplied Jenna. "Although technically it was you who ran off, not us." She walked up the Doctor and punched him lightly in the arm. "That's for not following your own advice."

"Ow," the Doctor complained mildly.

The farmer, who was still leaning on his hoe, was looking hard at Elizabeth.

"Your humours are all out of balance."

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth said.

"Your humours. They're out of balance. I know a little bit about these things. You look like you have too much yellow bile. May I suggest cucumbers?"

"Uh, I'll keep that in mind," Elizabeth said, awkwardly.

"Cucumbers are good," the Doctor agreed. Then, his eyes grew round and he took a step back. "But I think we should be less concerned with humours, and more concerned with the _dragon_ that's right behind her!"

Jenna and the farmer shrank back, but Elizabeth didn't turn around.

"That guy was just making the dragon up," she said. "This farmer here says he's crazy, does this regularly."

"Uh, Lizabeth?" said the Doctor.

"I mean, we all know dragons don't exist. They're mythical creatures."

"Lizabeth?" the Doctor repleated.

"It's just silly!" exclaimed Elizabeth. She was about to continue when she felt a hot breath on her shoulder. Slowly, with trepidation, she turned. Behind her was a huge, scaly, brown and red dragon. Its eyes glinted evilly, and smoke poured from its nostrils.

Elizabeth screamed.

"Doctor!"

"…I tried to warn you," he said.


	3. Chapter 3

"Doctor! Do something!" yelled Elizabeth, shrinking back behind Jenna. The dragon was so huge and so entirely unexpected.

The Doctor drew out his screwdriver from his pocket with a dramatic flourish, and pointed it at the dragon.

Elizabeth looked from the small screwdriver to the massive beast.

"Really? That's it?"

The Doctor looked down at his sonic screwdriver, then back up at the dragon, who was beginning to advance on them, smoke pouring out of its nostrils.

"I see your point," the Doctor said. "Right then. _Run!_"

The Doctor took off in a burst of energy. Elizabeth and Jenna took off after him, with the Farmer hard on their heels. They raced past a copse of trees and out onto the beaten dirt road. The Doctor skidded to a stop past a stone marker that declared the town's name.

"Why have we stopped?" panted Jenna.

"We've just been running while my brain works. I think I have a plan now," said the Doctor. "Get behind me."

The two girls stood a pace behind him, while the Doctor turned to face the dragon. The farmer turned also, gripping his hoe like a weapon.

"What kind of devilry is this?" he asked, his eyes on the dragon. "How comes this fiend from Hell to terrorize us?"

"Something wicked this way comes," agreed the Doctor.

Hissing smoke and snarling, the dragon lumbered up to them. It spread out its massive leathery wings, threw back its head and roared. The effect was terrifying.

The Doctor had a glint in his eyes that said he was not running again. He pressed a few switches on his screwdriver, and then pointed it straight at the dragon.

"You singed my companion's shoulder," said the Doctor in a dangerous voice. "You won't hurt them again."

The screwdriver gave out a high pitched buzzing noise, and the dragon's image flickered.

"Interesting," commented the Doctor, the anger in his eyes replaced with curiosity.

Furious, the dragon rushed forward. Closer and closer it got, until they could smell the sulfur of its breath, see the glint of the sun on its scales. And then, just as it was right on top of them... it vanished.

"Interesting," the Doctor said again, stowing his screwdriver back in his pocket.

Jenna let out a breath.

"What just happened."

"You were right, Lizabeth," said the Doctor. "The dragon's an illusion after all."

"Why'd it disappear?" Elizabeth asked.

The farmer interrupted, switching his hoe from a weapons position to a walking staff position.

"We are outside the city limits," he said.

"Interesting," said the Doctor once again. "This dragon is local. That's very interesting. So all we need to do is stay outside the city limits, and the dragon can't get us."

"What about everyone _inside_ city limits?" Jenna asked.

"Good point," said the Doctor.

"But it's an illusion, right?" Elizabeth said. "It's just smoke and mirrors. Except my shoulder is singed." she glanced down to the slightly burnt shoulder of her shirt.

"It must be a manifest illusion," the Doctor said, looking thoughtful.

"Is that possible?" asked Jenna.

"In theory," the Doctor replied. "And we all know how much I love theory. An illusion with substance. Weeeeell, substance up to a point. We all saw how the image flickered when I used harmonic resonance. And evidently it can create heat, although I don't think it can create flame, or it would have done."

"Well, that's a good thing at least," said Jenna.

The Doctor shook his head.

"Do you know how hot metal and cloth can get before they burst into flames? Very very hot. Hmmm..." the Doctor seemed lost in thought. The wheels turning in his head were practically audible.

"Shouldn't we get everyone out of the town first?" said Elizabeth after a beat of silence.

"First before what?" the Doctor asked absently.

"Before you do whatever brilliant thing you're planning on doing."

"You're assuming I'll destroy the town," the Doctor said, pouting.

Both girls gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry about your library! I promise, if we live through this, I'll take you somewhere fun, alright? Maybe, say, visit my friend Jane Austen. Would you like that, Elizabeth?" He gave them both a reassuring grin, and turned slack and vacant as a wooden hoe came down in his head. He collapsed into a heap, his eyes rolling closed.

The farmer stood behind him, weilding his hoe like a weapon that he obviously knew how to use.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" demanded Jenna.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" the farmer said. "He shows up and the dragon appears. He draws the demon to himself. He is in league with the devil!"

"He was your only chance of getting out of here alive!" snapped Jenna.

Elizabeth dropped to her knees in front of the Doctor, and checked both sides of his chest.

"Hearts beating. He's alive."

"You were with him. Perhaps you were in league with the devil also!" said the farmer, bringing up his hoe once again.

Jenna narrowed her eyes at him.

"If you try to hit me with that thing you'll be sorry. Eight years of martial arts classes have to start paying off some time."

"You are but a woman," countered the farmer.

With two swift kicks and a few well-timed punches, Jenna disarmed him sent him sprawling to the ground.

"Done yet?" she asked. She picked up his hoe, and then turned back to the Doctor. "Will he be ok?"

"I think he's just unconscious," Elizabeth said.

"Great. What if he has a concussion?" groaned Jenna. "How do we wake him up?"

"Well, he's English. So what about... tea?"

Jenna shrugged.

"As good a method as any, hey you!" to the farmer, who had been skulking away. "This is your fault, so you're going to help us fix it. Do you have any tea?"

"Any what?" the farmer asked, a little sulkily.

"Maybe tea hasn't been brought over from China yet," said Elizabeth. "What about hot water, can we have some of that?"

The farmer took in Jenna, with his hoe in her hand, and then nodded.

"My cottage isn't far."

With his help, Elizabeth was able to get the Doctor to his feet, and between them lug him the direction of the man's cottage.

"You two are most indecently dressed," the farmer commented as they walked. "This witch must be leading you two young girls astray."

Jenna glanced down at her jeans and t-shirt.

"Actually, where we come from, this is fashionable."

"Well you could be mistaken for witches."

Jenna narowed her eyes.

"... What are you trying to say, Cinderfella?"

The farmer's cottage was small but snug. They laid the still-unconscious Doctor out on the bed, while the farmer started a fire to boil water.

"I suppose I may know your names," he said, his back to the girls. "Mine is Jean."

"Ok, let's play nice," agreed Jenna. "I'm Jenna, and that's Elizabeth. And the guy you knocked out is the Doctor."

Jean set a kettle of water to boil on the hob.

"I would say I am pleased to meet you, but I'm not sure that I am yet. It has been a strange day. Why, earlier, a blue box appeared near my cottage out of thin air." he shook his head. "Strange magicks."

"To the untrained mind, technology is indistinguishable from magic," Elizabeth quoted softly.

"That's the TARDIS," said Jenna. "She's the way we get around."

"But it was such a small box, and there are three of you. And how did it appear from nowhere? Devils must travel by devlish means," Jean said, shaking his head. "A box posessed by the devil. I have never heard of such a thing before."

The Doctor sat bolt upright, his eyes suddenly wide awake.

"What did I tell you about insulting my TARDIS?" he demanded.

Elizabeth and Jenna grinned at each other with relief.

"So glad you could join us," Jenna drawled. "We thought we might have to pour hot water on your head or something."

"Where are we?" the Doctor asked, looking around the one-roomed cottage.

"Jean's house. He knocked you out cuz he thinks you're a witch," supplied Elizabeth.

The Doctor considered this for a moment.

"I suppose I am, in a manner of speaking," he said. "If this situation ever comes up again, remember: if there's no tea, a cucumber will work. Wonderful for cooling the humours, a cucumber. Good for headaches too. Speaking of which..." he glared at Jean.

Jean shrugged.

"You have admitted yourself that you are a witch."

"Yes, but I'm the good sort. I'm the Doctor." he swung his legs over the bed.

"A witch doctor?" Jean asked.

"A Time Doctor," the Doctor corrected. "Listen, that doesn't matter right now. I did some thinking while I was lying there, and..."

"You did some thinking while you were unconscious?" Jenna cut in.

The Doctor shrugged.

"I'm a Time Lord. I have a huge brain. It never shuts off. Always thinking about something in the background."

"And a huge ego, aparently." Elizabeth murmured.

Jenna smirked.

"I was thinking," the Doctor continued pointedly. "About the dragon. It's a manifestation of elemental fire, right? So then what beats fire? Its elemental opposite, water. It should return to its proper sphere if water is introduced into its bounds."

"That sounds too simple," said Elizabeth. "Just throw water over it."

"Sounds like fun!" said Jenna, whipping out a water pistol from her jacket pocket.

The Doctor's grin was huge.

"Oh, I knew I liked you for a reason."

"Where did you get that?" Elizabeth asked, surprised.

Jenna shrugged.

"I found it underneath the cusion in the captain seat of the TARDIS. Thought it might come in useful."

"Always does," agreed the Doctor.

"Is that actually going to work?" asked Jean, eyeing the neon plastic gun.

"Oh no," said the Doctor airily. "I just like her style."

"It's a big dragon," said Elizabeth. "We're going to need a lot more water than that."

Jenna considered her water pistol, and then stowed it back in her pocket a little regretfully.

"You're right," she said with a sigh. "Um, fire hydrant? Hoses? Lake? Bucket brigade?"

"There is a small pond nearby," supplied Jean. "And many streams to water the fields."

"Oh! Oh oh oh!" the Doctor said, interrupting them. "That's brilliant. You three are brilliant." He jumped up off the bed, and slung one arm over each of the girls' shoulders. "Jenna? Lizabeth? We're going to make it rain."


	4. Chapter 4

"Rain as in..."

"Water from the sky, yes. It's a good plan, isn't it?" said the Doctor, pleased with himself.

"Can you do that?" asked, Elizabeth. "Make it rain?"

"I'm the Lord of Time," replied the Doctor. "What are a few clouds?"

"That's imposs.."

Jean's words were cut off by the sound of raindrops pattering on the packed earth outside the open doorway.

"You truly are a witch of enormous power," Jean said, awed.

The Doctor made a face.

"That wasn't me. Just coincidence, flash storms. Happened in the medieval ages with the milder climate."

Jenna crossed her arms.

"Ok, that's cool. But can you make it do that on command?" she asked.

"Weeeeeell," the Doctor drawled. "The TARDIS can stimulate cloud formation, and that in turn will make it rain. I'd have to change a few of the settings, but yes, I'd say I can do it on command."

"Show off," muttered Elizabeth.

"So, we make it rain, dousing the dragon, with water and putting out its elemental fire nature," Jean summed up.

"Yeeep," said the Doctor. "All we've got to do is lure it out of his - or her, let's not be gender exclusive - lair, and when it rains the thing will get soaked."

"Thus rendering it impotant since it can no longer use its base materal!" agreed Elizabeth.

"Plus it's electronic, so water would short it out!" enthused Jenna.

Elizabeth grinned.

"Team TARDIS high five!"

She and Jenna shared an enthousiastic high five.

"Team TARDIS? Really?" winced the Doctor.

"We can rethink the name," Jenna replied, still grinning.

"At a later date. Dragon, remember?" Elizabeth said.

Jean took the kettle off the hob, and began to mix it with wine.

"So we must lure the dragon out of its lair? How do we do that?" he asked.

The Doctor held his head in his hands, his fingers raking through his already messy hair so that it stood up at even more improbable angles.

"Dragon, village, alchemist's book. Think brain, think! The Marchampian and the black book, the spells he could do. Why here? Come on brain, think, think think!"

"Is he quite... sane?" asked Jean, concerned.

"I don't think so," Jenna said.

"Shhh," Elizabeth shushed them. "He's thinking."

"Ahah!" the Doctor jumped up and began to place. "So I asked myself, 'why here?' Why this tiny little town in medieval France? What's special abouit this place?" He turned to Jean expectantly. "Well?"

Jean looked puzzled.

"I don't know. We are just a small village."

"Well it must be something, since the Marchampian is going through all this trouble to scare the villagers away from it."

"You're thinking that he wants to make them all leave?"

"It wil certainly make retreaving what he wants easier. There won't be any resistance."

"What about natural materials?" Elizabeth asked. "Ores, minerals, that sort of thing?"

"It's possible," said the Doctor.

"What about precious metals?" Jenna supplied. "Is there gold around here or something?"

"Oh, he wouldn't care about that," The Doctor said dismissively. "On Marchamp gold is as plentiful as rock is here."

"The only thing we have of value is our sacred relic," Jean said. "But why would a dark sorcerer want that? It is made for good, and cannot be used by those who are evil."

The Doctor paused in his pacing.

"Relic?"

Jean nodded.

"The heart of St. Sabastian. It has been housed in our cathedral for centuries."

"Tell me about this relic," said the Doctor.

Jean frowned.

"I have only seen it on high days, and only from far away. It is not brought out very often, and certainly not shown to the likes of me."

"What does it look like?" the Doctor pressed.

"It is a gold and pear orb, covered in jewels. Within is housed the heart of St. Sabastian."

"Ew, his _heart_?" Jenna said.

"Of course. After he was martyred, his pure heart remained untouched by decay."

"St. Sabastian," said the Doctor thoughtfully. "The only martyr to be martyred twice. They thought they'd killed him, but he was still alive, so they killed him again. Interesting man."

"That's fascinating," cut in Jenna. "But what would the Marchampian want with a heart?"

"There are lots of things he could do with a heart like that. All sorts of alchemic spells call for human bits, but a heart is the most powerful you can use. He must be working on something big. Where did you say this heart was being kept?"

"The cathedral," said Jean.

"As in... within the village," said Jenna. "As in, where the dragon can get us."

The Doctor shook his head.

"There has to be a way to sneak in. We have to get to that heart before he does, or there's no telling what he could do. We'll just have to walk in and hope the dragon doesn't notice us."

"We could go by the tunnels," Jean said suddenly.

Everyone stared at him.

"Pardon?" the Doctor said.

"The tunnels. Under the village. They were built as an escape route, if the village was ever attacked. One entrance comes out right in the cathedral."

"Can you take us to the entrance to these tunnels?"

"I can do better. You will get lost in their depths without a guide." Jean stood up straight and tall.

"You're going to help us? Even though you think we're witches?" Elizabeth asked.

Jean shrugged.

"You might be witches, but if you are trying to stop the dragon that is destroying my village then I will help you." He picked up a sturdy looking staff that had been leaning against the wall, and held it, a determined look on his face.

"Well then," said the Doctor. "No time like the present. Allons-y!"


	5. Chapter 5

After a quick stop to adjust TARDIS weather controls, they made their way to the entrance of Jean's tunnel. It was concealed behind a large outcropping of rock, and cleverly hidden. If he hadn't know it was there, he would have missed it altogether.

"This way," he said, opening the hatch and climbing down the ladder. Jenna followed, passing down a torch and a tinder box. Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at the dank smell coming from the hole, but climbed in anyways. Lastly the Doctor jumped down, his brown coat swirling around him.

Jean lit his torch. The stone walls of the tunnel were illuminated by the flickering light. It puddled around them, leaving the rest of the tunnel in inky darkness.

"Is this a really bad time to mention that I'm afraid of the dark?" Elizabeth asked.

"I will go first and hold the light up," said Jean.

"And I'll bring up the rear," replied the Doctor. "So you can be in between us and not be scared."

Elizabeth smiled at his thoughtfulness. She took a deep breath.

"Can we just get this over with?"

Jean nodded, and started walking with a confident stride, holding the torch aloft. Its flickering flames bounced off the walls and cast eerie shadows. It was easy to imagine in those shadows goblin faces looking out at them from the darkness. Elizabeth focused her eyes on Jenna's back, and tried not to think about it.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know," the Doctor said quietly from beside her. The tunnel was wide enough for two people to walk comfortably side by side.

"Yeah it is," Elizabeth said. "I'm an adult, and I still let my imagination run away with me when I can't see."

The Doctor reached down and took her hand, holding it tightly.

"The unknown can be a frightening thing," he said. "It's healthy to have a fear of things you don't understand. Just enough of it stops you from being reckless."

"Or makes you paralyzed."

"You're not the paraliyzed type, Lizabeth," the Doctor reminded her. "Your library blew up and then you agreed to go on an adventure with a madman in a blue box. I'd say that takes a lot of courage."

Elizabeth smiled at him.

"Besides," said the Doctor, looking around at the darkness. "Sometimes it's not just your imagination playing with you. Shadows aren't always... safe."

Elizabeth looked up at his face in the dim half light. It looked older than before, the shadows emphasizing planes of his brow. His eyes, reflecting the flickering torch, were old, older than any she had ever known. He had seen so much, felt so much. He knew what real danger was.

"I just... feel so dumb," Elizabeth sighed.

"You don't have to," the Doctor said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "You're one of my companions now. That means you're brilliant. I don't take anyone else."

Elizabeth was smiling harder now.

"Thanks," she said.

The Doctor smiled back.

"Anytime."

Ahead, Jenna was walking beside Jean. He strode on ahead with a purposeful step, following the tunnel. Occasionally he would glance to one side, and read a marker there.

"We going in the right direction?" Jenna asked.

He nodded, brushing his fingers over a carved symbol in the wall.

"See this? It's telling me that we're going towards the town. The branching tunnel off ahead comes out in the blacksmith's shop on the outskirts."

"Cool system. Could use some lights down here though," Jenna said.

Jean stared at her for a moment, and then started walking again.

"You are a strange witch," he said.

"Thank you," Jenna laughed, without missing a beat. "I'm not really a witch, you know. I'm a librarian."

"A what?"

"You know, a librarian. I take care of books."

"You are a scholar then?"

"Yeah," Jenna said. "Sort of. If anyone's a witch, it's the Doctor."

"But you are his dear friends," Jean said. "Have you been travelling with him long?"

"Actually, we only just met him. He blew up our library." Jenna grinned.

"And you came travelling with him? With a man you barely knew? What does your husband say of this?" the last question asked rather hesitantly.

"I don't have a husband," said Jenna, wrinkling her nose. "I'm sort of between boyfriends at the moment."

"Don't have a husband? But you must be over twenty! Why has your father not found you one?"

"I'm 22," Jenna said. "And my father doesn't have much say about it. I haven't lived at home in years."

Jean's brow furrowed.

"I don't understand. You are a votress at an abbey then?"

"A what?"

"A novice training to be a nun?"

Jenna's laughter echoed around the small space.

"A nun? Are you kidding? No, I'm a strong, independant woman. I have a job and an apartment and a cat. I go to university."

"A woman in university?" Jean marvelled. "You must come from a place which is very different from here."

Jenna glanced around.

"Yeah. Really really different. So, Jean, tell me about yourself. Did you always want to be a farmer?"

"I had little choice," said Jean. "My father farmed this land, and I was his only son. When he died, it was my duty to run the farm and find suitable husbands for my two sisters. They live in the village now." His smile was soft.

"You miss them?"

"Yes. But they are happy. My mother lives with my oldest sister. She has two small boys, and they love when I come over and teach them how to hunt small game."

"Do you like farming?" Jenna asked.

Jean shrugged.

"I have never known anything else."

"Oh," said Jenna. "Kind of boring life."

Jean nodded, and then smiled.

"Not since I met some witches running from a dragon."

Jenna giggled.

They fell into a companionable silence. It was nice to walk side by side like this, when the dark seemed to crowd and elbow them out of the way. They fell into a comfortable rhythm, their steps mirroring each other as they continued to walk down the passageway.

"Nearly there," Jean called to the Doctor and Elizabeth.

The Doctor nodded, and then paused in his walk.

"Do you hear a noise down there?" he said, half turning around.

The others strained their ears, but heard nothing.

"Or a smell," the Doctor continued, his nose quivering.

"Do we hear a smell?" Jenna asked.

"Shhh," the Doctor instructed, listening. "There's something there."

For a second there was absolute silence. Then the others could hear it - a high pitched whining sound. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, and scanned the sides of the tunnel.

"That's odd," he said, checking the readings. He scanned again. The blue tip of the screwdriver threw dancing shadows over the darkness, illuminating a snout, bouncing off shining, wickedly sharp teeth, reflecting in large, yellow eyes.

"Run!" yelled the Doctor.

Everyone turned and began to run as fast as they could, the dragon close behind them. Jean darted into a side passage, and the others followed the torch as it bobbed along in his hand.

The dragon was breathing out great wafts of steam. It was hot enough to singe their clothes.

"My coat," the Doctor moaned as he ran beside her. "I love this coat."

But they had bigger things to worry about. The ground was getting hot. Everyone felt it, even as their feet hit the packed dirt with a steccato rhythm. It was getting too hot to run.

"Doctor! yelled Jenna. "What do we do?"

"Constant movement! Like coal walkers!" the Doctor yelled.

Jenna dug her water pistol out of her pocket and squirted the ground as she ran past. The water instantly evaporated into steam.

"Oh great," she muttered.

"We can get out this way," Jean panted. He stood still, hopping from one foot to another while the other three raced ahead. Then, he followed them. The dragon was close behind.

"I see a light up ahead!" Jenna called from in front.

The ground was cooler here, not quite so burning on their feet.

It looked as though they might make it out, when Jean tripped.

"Jean!" Jenna yelled, starting to run back to him.

But it was too late. The dragon was already upon him. It lowered its huge serpentine head, and swallowed him in one bite.


	6. Chapter 6

Jean's clothes instantly caught on fire. He let out a single scream, and then was silent.

"I'm sorry," whispered the Doctor. "I'm so, so sorry."

"We have to help him!" Jenna screamed, moving to run back to him. The Doctor caught her arm.

"We can't. That fire was hotter than any normal fire. He's beyond help now. We have to get out of here."

Using the dragon's distraction, the Doctor and his companions raced towards the end of the tunnel. There was a small hatch above, and a ladder, which they all scrambled out of.

They were in a narrow alleyway. At the end of the alley they could see the cathedral, standing tall and majestic.

Jenna gave a shuddering sob.

"He's gone."

The Doctor put a comforting arm around her.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"He was telling me about his nephews. How much he loved them."

"I know, I know. And I'm really sorry, Jenna, but we don't have time for this."

"He didn't have to die like that. It's not fair," said Jenna.

"I know," repeated the Doctor. "We _will_ grieve him. But later."

Jenna gave another shudder, and then took a deep breath and nodded.

"Ok."

"That's my girl," said the Doctor with an encouraging smile. "You alright too, Lizabeth?"

Elizabeth looked a little shell shocked, but nodded.

The Doctor looked around the alleyway, and then picked up two wooden staffs that were leaning against a doorway. They were as long as the girls were tall. He handed one to each.

"Just in case," he said.

They took off towards the cathedral. The streets were empty and silent.

"Guess he succeeded in scaring people away with his optical illusion dragon," Elizabeth commented.

For a small town, it was an imposing church, complete with butresses and a bell tower and high stained glass windows. As they approached, the door opened.

It was the Marchamian, holding an orb in his hand.

"Doctor! You survived!" he said.

"You sound surprised," replied the Doctor mildly. He took another step forward, and bumped into something. "Ow!" He complained, rubbing his nose.

Elizabeth and Jenna hurried forward, their hands outstretched to encounter the same barrier.

"He's put an energy shield around the whole place," said the Doctor, sounding irritated.

"You sound surpried," chortled the Marchampian.

Jenna beat her fists against it, hoping to break through with force. But she might as well have been trying to punch through concrete.

"Don't bother, you'll only hurt yourself," said the Doctor, pulling her fist down. "That's a raxa-shield. They're known for being nearly impenitrable, even for sonic devices."

"You thought you could stop me," taunted the Marchampian, coming to stand directly in front of them on the other side of the shield. "But again I have outwitted you. Again this is my victory."

"Yes, yes," said the Doctor airily. "What I can't figure out is what you want to do with that heart. I mean, it's a petrified saint's heart, isn't it? Lots of spells that use bits of saints. So what do you want the heart for?"

"This?" the Marchampian held up the orb, which caught the sunlight and shone like a small star. "With this I will be able to get off this miserable rock of a planet. I'll be able drain it dry and then leave."

"Vortex manipulator not cutting it for you these days?" the Doctor taunted.

"You may laugh, Doctor, but I wil be the one who steals all the energy from this planet. And you will not be able to stop me."

"Want to bet?" asked the Doctor, his eyes blazing now. "Yes, you're so grand and you've gotten the better of me once before. But there's something that you've forgotten. _These are my friends_. This planet and its inhabitants are under my care and I _will_ save them. And I will pluck that heart from your cold, dead hands." He paused. "Claws. Tentacles. Whatever you have."

"You cannot stop me!" laughed the Marchampian. "And now you will die at the hands of my dragon!"

The girls wheeled around to find the dragon rampaging towards them.

"And I shall watch," the alien sneered.

"What do we do?" Elizabeth said, panicking.

"We fight it," replied Jenna, clutching her staff with steel in her voice. "For Jean."

"Doctor," said Elizabeth. "Now would be a really good time."

"Huh?" asked the Doctor, his eyes stil on the gloating Marchampian.

"The TARDIS weather controls. Make it rain?"

"Oh! Right!" the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, twisted a few nozzels, and pointed it at the sky.

Nothing happened.

"I don't understand..." the Doctor said, sounding confused. "That should have worked..."

"Doctor!" Jenna yelled. The dragon was coming closer, and evil grin on its scaly face. The girls spread out, holding thier staffs as weapons.

The Doctor twisted a few knobs, and pointed the screwdriver at the sky again. From the direction of the TARDIS, a blue beam of light shot into the sky. Clouds began to gather.

But the dragon didn't seem to notice. He took a swipe at Elizabeth, who dodged. Jenna swung around and hit it with her staff on the ear. The great beast snorted in pain, and blew steam at her. Jenna ducked, the blast of hot air missing her. Elizabeth swept around and struck the dragon directly on the head as hard as she could, while it was distracted with Jenna. The dragon reeled, dazed for a minute.

"Good one!" Jenna called.

Elizabeth smiled grimly.

"Thanks."

The clouds were filling the sky now, dark and heavy with rain.

"Any time now would be good!" Jenna yelled at the Doctor.

"Just a few more seconds," the Doctor said. He buzzed the dragon with his screwdriver, and it flickered, disoriented.

It recovered quickly, and with a swipe of its claw, it knocked Elizabeth down. Elizabeth scrambled to her feet, darting over to where Jenna and the Doctor were standing. The dragon loomed over them, ready to consume them with its fiery breath. They could feel the heat on their skin, feel it start to singe their hair.

And then came the gentle pitter patter of rain on cobblestone. The dragon pulled up short and roared in pain as raindrops struck its leathery hide. The rain came down harder and faster, and the dragon writhed and shrieked. Then, with a crinkling sound, it shorted out.

"Fire verses water," muttered the Doctor. "Water wins."

Behind them, there was a hissing sound as the raxa-shield went down.

The Doctor swung around.

"Ahah! Tied your power to the dragon did you? It must have taken a lot of power to operate an illusion like that. But it was foolish to think we wouldn't figure out a way to destroy your little pet."

The Marchampian turned tail to run, but Jenna and Elizabeth were right behind him, staffs at the ready.

"I'll take _that_," the Doctor plucked the orb out of the Marchampians hand. "And that." as he fished the black book out of the alien's coat.

The Marchampian glared at the Doctor.

"This is what you get for going up against a Time Lord," the Doctor advised.

"What are you going to do with me?" the Marchampian asked, sulkily.

"Well," said the Doctor, passing the orb and book to Jenna. "First I would advise you not to stick around and monlogue before you kill your enemies. It's overly dramatic and always goes wrong. Second, I would advise you never, never _never_ to go up against me when this planet is involved. I happen to be very attached to this planet."

"Doctor, what were you saying about monologuing?" Jenna cut in.

"Right," said the Doctor. He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the Marchampian, and buzzed him. The surprised alien disappeared, melting away until there was nothing left.

Elizabeth lowered her staff, and blinked in surprised.

"What did you do with him?"

The Doctor took the orb from Jenna and held it up.

"I put him in here. He wanted the heart so much, now he can have it. Poetic, huh?" He shook the orb, and there was a tiny squeek of protest. "Marchampians are particular succeptable to sonic waves."

"So you're just going to leave him in there?" Jenna asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"He should be fine. Marchampians feed off of light energy, and the tiny holes in this should be enough for him to live for a good long while, somewhere where he can't cause trouble."

The Doctor looked between his two dirty, soaking, singed, exhausted companions.

"I think what we need is good cup of tea," he said knowingly.


	7. Chapter 7

The TARDIS was quiet. The Doctor had put the orb back in the cathedral, and lead his tired companions back to his time ship. There they had changed out of their soaking, dirty clothes, and into ones provided by the TARDIS wardrobe. The hour they had spent in the wardrobe room was one of the most fun they had ever had.

Now, they lounged on the captain seats on the console platform, while the Doctor flitted around, pulling levers and knobs and pressing buttons in an idle fashion.

"Well that was fun," he said.

"It certainly was interesting," Jenna agreed, cradling her mug of tea in her hands to warm them.

"It is always like this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeeeep," the Doctor said, drawing the word out. "Mostly. Find trouble. Run. Hide. Save the world. That sort of thing."

"What are you going to do with the book?" Elizabeth asked. "The one we got back."

"It's gone into the TARDIS library for safe keeping," the Doctor replied.

Both girls looked up sharply.

"The TARDIS has a library?" Jenna asked, excitedly.

"Sure does, little bookworms," grinned the Doctor. "Although you might want to watch out. There's a swimming pool in the middle of it."

"Why is there a swimming pool in the library?" Elizabeth asked. "It might damage the books."

The Doctor shrugged.

"The TARDIS knows best," he said.

The TARDIS hummed in agreement.

The Doctor leaned against the console, facing his two companions.

"You had a good time, though, didn't you? Makes up for blowing up your library?"

"Yeah. Some parts," said Jenna, thinking of Jean.

"It certainly was bracing," said the Doctor with an overly cheerful smile.

Jenna appreciated his attemps to cheer her up.

"It _was _kind of cool to go back in time. And the dragon was neat," said Elizabeth.

"Yeah, except for the part where it almost killed us," Jenna reminded them.

"Well there _is_ that."

"What say we go somewhere nice and safe this time, eh?" the Doctor said, turning to the console to press buttons. "Somewhere non-life threatening where we can just be tourists?"

"That sounds nice," Elizabeth said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Alright. Somewhere nice and safe. Hmmm..."

"You _do_ know nice and safe places, don't you, Doctor?" teased Jenna.

The Doctor's eyes lit up.

"Ahah! I have just the place. What would you girls say to a vist to my old friend Jane?"


End file.
